RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Nov. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- CREO, Inc., a Research Triangle Park-based management consulting firm specializing in the life sciences, healthcare, and technology services industries, has named Rett Summerville principal consultant and practice area lead for Cybersecurity and Compliance. Summerville will be responsible for overseeing CREO's work with clients to help improve their IT security posture, manage cybersecurity risks and efficiently comply with regulatory requirements such as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS).

Summerville previously held leadership roles in companies spanning financial services, computer security, and IT consulting. He was a senior manager for RSA Security Global Services, a division of DELL Technologies, for 10 years, responsible for growing US and Latin American professional services teams with expertise in governance, risk management and compliance (GRC); identity and access management; security information and event management (SIEM); data analytics and incident response.

Prior to joining RSA, Summerville was based in the UK for VISA International, leading a European Commission-funded project to standardize identity authentication procedures across EU member states. He holds the Certified Information Security Systems Professional (CISSP) designation and is certified in Hyperledger blockchain technologies, which informs his understanding of applying blockchain technology and its underpinning cryptography procedures to solve business problems.

"Rett brings both a deep understanding of technology and a practical approach to helping companies achieve their business goals," says Mike Townley, CREO managing partner. "With greater demands being placed on Chief Information Security Officers and technical support staff to ensure data privacy in the industries CREO serves, Rett's expertise is a valuable addition to our team. His collaborative style and interest in helping others do their best work and grow in confidence make him the right person to lead our cybersecurity practice," Townley says.

"The volume and sophistication of cyber attacks is on the rise and companies are facing big compliance hurdles today," says Summerville. "Many are still coming to grips with their responsibilities and obligations under new data privacy regulations, such as GDPR, which is driven by the European Union but has far-reaching implications extending to US businesses. It can be challenging to put together the right security controls to meet all these demands. That's why taking a strategic, risk management approach is critical. Compliance is important but it's not the end game. The fact is that secure companies are able to make better decisions more quickly and confidently," he says.

Summerville's interest in risk management originates from his college sport, pole vault. "Pole vaulting is a dangerous sport. You're 17 feet in the air, upside down over a metal box. You have a nice soft landing on one side, and a concrete surface on the other," says Summerville. "You can mitigate your risk by taking steps to land safely. Running speed, technique, pole selection, looking at other factors beyond your control such as wind, temperature – they all go into the sport. It's not a big step to apply those same skills to a business setting," he says.

Summerville received his undergraduate degree in Risk Management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA from Saint Mary's College of California. He continues to serve as a volunteer pole vault coach at Green Hope High School in Cary, NC.

About CREO: CREO, Inc. is an innovative management consulting and advisory firm based in Research Triangle Park. CREO helps its clients operate effectively, freeing them to apply their talents, pursue their mission, and realize their vision through a focus on effective operations and organizational health. CREO's senior team of C-level advisors works shoulder-to-shoulder with clients to solve their toughest challenges and realize their biggest opportunities. To learn more, visit http://www.creoinc.net.

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